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“Oh.”
So, I’m a scare tactic.
Great. I don’t even know what I’m doing.
Nice planning, Josh. Not.
He moved to the shadows, rummaging through what sounded like metal cabinets and drawers, then emerged with a forearm length dagger, thick at the base, thinning to a sharp point at the tip. In the low light of the office-turned-interrogation room, the blade glinted a green hue, almost that of jade.
Josh’s Oxfords barely sounded on the marbled floor as he strode towards the Demon. He snapped his fingers and the creature awoke, head whipping left and right, snarling.
“Release me! I cannot be contained, I am Artremias,” he foamed at the mouth, a crazed look within its unseeing eyes. “I will devour you. Your soul. Release me, you scum. Or face my wrath.” The Demon howled.
Josh squatted in front of Artremias, twirling the dagger in his hands. “Now, you know I can’t do that, Artremias. You’refartoo valuable,” Josh’s voice dropped, power emanating from him, pure threat lined each word. “I do have a proposition for you, however.” Josh leaned forward on his knees, skating his dagger along the Demon’s thighs. “My acquaintance”—he pointed his dagger in my direction—“has quite an array of talents. Talents which can make you pray for death.” The Demon’s milky eyes widened in fear and flicked in my direction. He trembled. “Now, now, Artremias, no need to fret. Cooperate and I’ll have my acquaintance here rein in her skills and leave you in one piece. Understood?” The corners of Josh’s mouth tilted upward and spread the width of his face. He stood, turned on his heel, and backed towards the shadows.
The Demon spat on Josh as he stepped away.
Josh whirled around, dagger in hand, and slit the Demon’s throat. It gushed black ink, soaking its front in the dark sludge. A stench of dead fish filled the room and sent me silently gagging. I covered my nose and mouth with my hands and caught a glimpse of Josh. He slid the blade across his tongue, licking it clean of the black blood. My stomach turned.
Oh my god. What is wrong with him?
He moved in, nearly nose to nose with the Demon. “Did you forget what happens when you choose to play with fire, Artremias?” He then snapped his fingers and the Demon screamed. My blood curdled in my veins. The dim room began to spin. I felt the floor rush towards me. An arm slid underneath me, catching me before I crashed to the ground. My vision blurred, black spots flitted in and out of my peripheral vision. My mouth watered and I heaved. A hand stroked my back.
I blinked back the spots and blurriness, taking in several panting breaths before looking up to find Josh was holding me, being the one to have caught me.
No shit Snooty Pants caught you. There’s only three of you in this psycho’s office of torture and one is almost completely incapacitated.
I pushed out of his embrace. “What the actualfuck, Josh?” I hissed. “Was knifing the guy necessary?Lickinghis blood? What kind of psycho are you?” I panted, my body convulsing.
“I needn’t scare you, Miss Snow. But this is how I attain the information that is needed in vital situations, such as the one we’ve stumbled upon.” The gold flecks nestled within the blue hues of his eyes reflected in the low light, the shadows danced in the edges of his pupils, as if in invitation. The rasp that fell from his lips caught me off guard. “As your safety is of the utmost importance.”
Hot.
He’s a hot psychopath.
Fucking hell.
My mouth hung open. I clamped it shut. Anger rose within me, suffocating my shock. “Does Seth know about this? Does he actually condone what you’re doing?” They were Demons and absolutely terrifying but…they were still living creatures.
There has to be a less murdery way of getting the truth from them.
“No, I keep my…tactics to myself. It’s simpler that way. And we’re going to keep it that way, Miss Snow.” He stared me down, the threat weighing.
Oh gee wiz. I feel so much better.
No one knows how bat-shit crazy this guy is.
Great.
Just great.
The Demon screamed louder, my head began pounding from the sound. I pressed my hands over my ears to keep them from bleeding and shouted, “What does this have to do withmy safety? I get the humans. We need to find them quickly—yesterday, actually—but why factor my safety into it?”
Why do I matter in any of this?
Josh looked at me as if I was an idiot. “Do you not remember yesterday? The potential of you being ‘The Key’? If what the Demons suspect is true, then you are in grave danger. And whatever you experienced in your time with the Demon Erebus, is nothing compared to what they will put you through.”
My vision unfocused, as the images threatened to play and drag me down into the murky blood-soaked depths of the memory.
